The One That Got Away
by Duchess K
Summary: The past is like a handful of dust, it filters through your fingers; disappearing, little by little. I wish, for all I did, I could go back. "Sometimes you promise someone forever, but it doesn't work out that way." she said. But in another life, I would do things differently. AU, little OOC. Romance/Hurt/Comfort/Family/Friendship/?
1. Intro

_Verse One_

_-Part 1-_

_I remember that day, when I first saw you I thought it was a dream. I thought it was just a fragment of my imaginations. _

_But..._

_It was real._

_The One That Got Away_

"Mr. Ootori, you called for me?"

A 78-year-old Kyouya Ootori looked up from his black notebook, "Yes, I did. I want to go to her."

His driver, Derick Dwayne, cocked his eyebrow under his black sunglasses.

"Are you sure Mr. Ootori? This is bad for your health. I suggest that-"

"Do as I said. _Now."_

Derick bowed, "Right away, sir."

After Derick left his boss' office, Kyouya continued flipping the pages of his old black notebook. Even at his age, he still got the devil, he still got the attitude he held for 78 years.

He sighed and he slowly closed his black notebook, he opened his drawer and he placed it beside the blue velvet box he had kept for 60 years. Kyouya cherished it with his life.

Like he had cherished her.

"Sir, I've prepared the car outside." Derick said.

Kyouya slipped the slightly dusted blue velvet box inside his jacket and hummed. He slowly stood up with the help of his walking stick.

"Let's go." Kyouya ordered.

On the way to his car, with Derick following behind him, he can't help but feel light and at the same time nostalgic.

He was going back to the place where he found her.

And the place where he lost her...

* * *

_It was summer after__ high school when they first met. She was sitting on the bench with her canvas and painting tools on the grass, beside her a big brown box filled with notebooks, pens, pencils and etc. His eyes caught a sketch pad—a recycled sketch pad—it has rough edges and black abstract lines adorned on the slightly rough textured brown paper, with medium size sliver Rhine stones. _

_Kyouya slightly coughed, making the girl in front of him startled. _

_His cold gray eyes met her warm brown eyes. _

_The girl tilted her head and stared at him with confusion, "Yes? Can I help you?" she asked in English, her accent hinting that she's a foreigner._

_He cocked his left brow, " I believe this is my place." he stated in English. Kyouya saw her wrinkled her nose._

"_I don't remember this bench being taken."_

"_Well, I don't remember _someone_ knows this bench." he retorted._

_The girl pouted, crossing her arms, "Okay you win. But I need this bench _of yours_. I need it to complete my collection."_

_And Kyouya as well crossed his arms, "Then why is _my _bench involved in this?"_

_She sighed, "I really really need it! Please just for two days, I need to complete my collection!"_

"_What collection?"_

"_For my Art collection."_


	2. Verse 1 (part one)

_Verse one_

_-Part 2-_

_The One That Got Away_

* * *

The 78-year-old Kyouya Ootori sighed as he makes his way to his car. So much memory was coming back to him. Every step and every glance, the memories he spent with her keeps coming back, and disappearing like wind.

Derick was about to open the entrance door, then suddenly a flash of yellow rushed past to Derick and finally to Kyouya. Good thing, Kyouya was able to grasp the nearest chair if not, the both of them would be knocked down.

Kyouya sighed, "Tamaki, what are you doing?" he asked.

Tamaki Suoh, even at 78 he still got the moves. If you know what I mean.

"Mommy! Where are you going? Do you know what time it is? You should be in bed sleeping!"

"It's only 1:30 in the afternoon, Tamaki. The doctor told me to move my body." Kyouya coolly said.

"B-but! But-"

"_Daddy_, if someone needs some sleep, it should be you, not me." Kyouya said as he left _'mommy' _sulking in his corner, growing mushrooms.

Derick sweat drops, "Umm.. You sure we go without him, sir?" he asked, looking at Tamaki, who still growing mushrooms on his head.

Kyouya kept walking towards the entrance, "Yes, it's fine. If he needs something he would just tell the servants or call Haruhi to pick him up. Besides-"

Kyouya stop in the middle of his talking when he saw the old painting hanging beside the entrance. He shook his head and he ignores the aching feeling in his heart. Derick saw his boss' sudden change of state, he quickly walked towards the old man and he grabs the chair he'd been holding earlier than he let Kyouya sat on it.

"Sir? Sir?" Derick asked as he carefully shook Kyouya's shoulder.

Tamaki quickly called Kyouya's doctor and he ordered Derick to ready the car for them. Kyouya however, couldn't see much because his glasses were taken off. His lids were slowly closing, he can feel his heart quicken its pace and his body trembling. After a couple of seconds he passed out and he was taken to the hospital.

_Kyouya had let the girl used _his_ bench for two days. She only used the bench as a model for her painting. He learned that she's a Filipino when he heard her sang a familiar Filipino song whilst she's painting her subject. The first day was a little awkward because Kyouya was only standing under the tree and the girl was making weird posses in front of the bench. _

"_What are you doing?" Kyouya asked, quirking his left brow._

_The girl rolls her eyes, "I'm just looking for the right angle." and she continued her weird doings._

_Kyouya sighs, shaking his head, "You can just go here and take a look. Maybe you can find the right _'angle'_ you've tried to look."_

_She dusted her blouse, without looking at him, " Fine fine. I'll do what the _'King'_ says."_

_The girl walked towards the tree where Kyouya was 'cooling off', "Yeah... This is the right angle!" she smiled to herself. "How did you..?"_

_Kyouya's glasses flashed, smirking a little. "I'm a painter as well. I also look for the right angles."_

_The girl looked at him with a smile, "That's awesome dude." _

_Kyouya and the girl looked at each other and they started to laugh. It was kinda odd for him to laugh, he barely remembers the last time he laughed like this. He felt something __very _very, very, _different, it's like squishing the hell out of him. It has been years since he felt something like this, it was very uncanny and alien to him. He wished that this feeling, inside of him, is good and healthy for him. _

_He genuinely smiled at her, offering his hand to her. "I'm Kyouya Ootori."_

_The girl took his large hand with her small ones. "I'm Clara. Clara Gomez."_


	3. Verse 1 (part two)

_Verse One_

_-Part 3-_

_The One That Got Away_

* * *

_Days had passed, Kyouya and Clara kept seeing each other. Kyouya after work would leave his office early so that he could meet Clara at the abandoned park. There, Kyouya can do the things he wanted to do in his life. Like painting, his father thinks that painting is a waste of time, so Kyouya secretly bought some painting materials and go to his usual spot and paint. _

"_Hey Kyouya." Clara called._

"_Hmm?"_

"_Why do you always go here?"_

_He smiled._

"_Here—I could do whatever I want. I'm not free as a bird as you can see." he said, resuming to his painting._

_Clara bit her lower lip, her head tilting. "That what are you then?"_

"_Human."_

"_Ha. Ha. Yeah, very funny glasses."_

"_Uhuh, tell that to yourself, Brazilian."_

"_Just answer the damn question Ootori."_

_Kyouya sighed and he puts down his paintbrush. "It's... Complicated."_

"_Then damn how pitiful it is."_

_He saw her batted the corner of her eyes with a white handkerchief and sniffs like a Lady. He sighed and shook his head, a tiny small forming on the corner of his mouth._

"_Uhuh, you have something on your face, m'lady." he mocked her, his accent changed into British._

_Clara quirked her left eye brow. "Where?"_

_He then grabbed his paintbrush and he put a blue dot on her face._

"_There."_

_Clara blinked and she quickly grabbed her paint brush. "Why you!" she grabbed her brush and run off to catch Kyouya. _

_There were moments that the two of them would just sit on the bench and talk some things about their lives at work. Sometimes Kyouya would just ask some questions and Clara would answer them truthfully. He learned that she is—practically—a Brazilian. Well, sort of. Clara's Mother is a half Filipino, half German. Her Father is a full-blooded Brazilian. She didn't place in her class when she was in her High School Days, she said that rankings don't matter to her, all that matter is that she understands everything that her teachers said. He also learned that she was 'M.C'. The famous painter who had made him to paint the world. She said that she wanted to keep her identity a secret because her Grandmother, her mother's side, didn't want Clara to be a painter. _

_Clara asked two things about him. First; why does his father dislike Kyouya for being an artist, and Second; why does he look so sad?_

_Kyouya smiled, "My father thinks that painting is a waste of time. He said I should be focusing my studies and career. It's like what you have said: Time is too short for us." Kyouya continued, "Second... hmmm... You thought so?"_

_Clara slowly nodded, "Yeah... You seem very distant every time I saw you here."_

_Kyouya stared down at the paint brush he's been holding. He thought that being cold and distant to others can make things easier. But, he's wrong. Sometimes he just wants to go and lay down and felt like he's part of a river._

_However, his nature tells him to go against the flow. _

_Kyouya said his goodbye to his companion and left the park without looking back. As he walks towards his car, he couldn't help but think the words Clara said to him before he left._

_'Time is too short, that's why I'm saying all the words I wanted to say; I'm doing all the things all I wanted to do... I'm letting it all in before it's too late...'_


	4. Verse 1 (part three)

_Verse One_  
_-Part four_

_The One That Got Away_

* * *

**C**_lara sighs deeply as she walks towards her grandmother's room. Her grandmother called her when she was in her hotel room sleeping, she asked why and her grandmother only told her to go back immediately because she has important news to tell her. Her grandmother only knows that she was in Vietnam doing some research about her sister. Clara also said that she wasn't able to find her there._

_And so in the morning, Clara contacted her driver and the airport to reserve her a flight to Italy. After packing her things, she left a text message to Kyouya; telling him that she will be going back to Italy, not sure if she will be back or not._

_Clara knocks on the door, she heard her grandmother's voice and she opens the door, her heart thumping in her chest._

_"You called, grandmother?"_

_Clara's grandmother, Cleopatra Venice DiCaprio, looked up from her book, her cold stare giving chills at her granddaughter. "Yes, I have." She looked at her granddaughter from head to toe, Clara was wearing a peach soft cowl halter bloussant bodice, paired with a cotton, metal skirt, hiding any and all flaws to create the perfect mix of casual and sexy, strapless bra friendly (did I just advertise? XD). "We will have a meeting in Tokyo tomorrow evening at Livia's sweet and rose."_

_"What?"_

_Cleopatra quirked her perfectly arched eyebrow, even at her age she still looks like a 45-year-old woman (Thank you Mary Kay products. Again, I'm advertising!). "What? Was there something wrong, Clarrise?"_

_Clara gulped, her brown eyes widen in surprise. "Umm.. N-no! Grandmother, I thought you hate Japan." _

_Her grandmother rolled her eyes, suppressing a sigh. "Marie Clarrise DiCaprio. _Thought_."_

_Clara grimaced when she heard her say her full name. Does she really have to use my full name?, she thought. "Grandma?" she used the 'nickname', "Who will we meet?"_

_Cleopatra sipped from her drink, her eyes narrowing. "The Ootori's."_

* * *

_"Have you called Kyouya?"_

_"Yes, sir, I have."_

_In cue, Yoshiro heard a couple of knocks through his door. "You may go now."_

_The black suited man bowed and left the room. Kyouya, afterwards entered the room wearing his office attire. He looked kinda off and worn out, the first two buttons of his shirt were opened, and his hair was slightly ruffled due to several 'brushing' he made. "Father." he nodded to his father._

_"Kyouya." Yoshiro nodded back. "Tomorrow evening we will meet a long-lost friend of your grandfather."_

_Kyouya cocked his eyebrow. "And that will be?"_

_Yoshiro narrowed his eyes, his glasses glinting. "The DiCaprio's."_


	5. Chorus

Chorus

-Part One-

The One That Got Away

* * *

Clara walked back and forth in her hotel room. Tonight, they will meet, finally, the Ootori's. She hoped and prayed that a certain Ootori would not be part of the meeting. She knew that he has two brothers and one sister; him as the baby brother. If not, best regards to you Marie Clarrise DeCaprio.

As Clarrise continued her 'moment', she heard a couple of knocks through her door. "Miss? The Madame is waiting for you at the lobby."

Oh God! What am I going to do?, she thought. "Just a moment." She grabbed her purse from her bed and left her hotel room.

'May the odds be ever in 'my' favor.'

* * *

Kyouya and his father, Yoshio, waited patiently at the Livia's sweet and rose. They have booked the restaurant for themselves so that no one will interrupt Yoshio and Cleopatra's unfinished business.

Yoshio's father and Cleopatra were friends back when they were in college. The two were in good terms so after they graduated in college, they had set an arrangement between Yoshio and Cleopatra's first daughter, Catharina.

However, the odds had signed the arrangement first.

Yoshio was in love with Catharina, but Catharina loved someone else, Clarrise's father, Matthew.

In the middle of Yoshio and Catharina's engagement party, Matthew, in a rage, kidnapped Catharina and took a plane to Brazil and raped her. After seven months of looking and tracking for Mathew's whereabouts, they found Catharina, deeply ill and pregnant. After taking Catharina to a hospital, her mother, Cleopatra was furious, she was mad at her daughter for being stupid and naïve. She was mad at Yoshio for not telling her that her daughter was kidnapped and raped; most of all, she was mad at Mathew. Cleopatra contacted her private investigator to hunt down the man who raped her daughter and kill him if necessary.

Cleopatra and Yoshio's father talked and cancelled the arrangement between their heirs.

After five months, Catharina gave birth to one healthy girl, Clarrise.

Then after one year, Yohio married Kyouya's mother. His mind always told him to look at his wife's eyes, but his heart keeps yearning for Catharina's.

When Clarrise was five years old, her mother was reading a book in her room, her father took the liberty to sneak in and kidnap Clarrise. Good thing a maid saw Clarrise on Mathew's shoulder like a sack and screamed for help. Clarrise was saved by Catharina's adviser, William, but unfortunately, Mathew escaped.

When Clarrise turned 10 years old, her grandmother told her that Catharina died in a car accident. Their private investigators said that Mathew was the one who drove the car which leading their lives to an end.

Was it?

Kyouya checked his watch for the 50th time. He was not the type to wait, time is gold after all. After the endless checking and what-so-ever, finally, Cleopatra walked towards them with her chin held up high, her hips swaying gracefully, and her back straight, as if there was a cold metal pole was shoved into her ass.

Yoshio and Kyouya stood up and greeted the older woman (thought not say it on her face otherwise face the result), "Mrs. DiCarpio, it has been a long time isn't?"

Cleopatra slightly smirked, "Yes it has," her tone hinting her normal accent.

Yoshio noticed that she was alone, "Where's your grand-daughter?"

"She's a little late. She just arrived from Vietnam earlier."

Yoshio hum and nodded, "While we wait for Clarrise, let me introduce to you my third son and heir, Kyouya."

Kyouya bowed, "It's a pleasure meeting you Madame."

Cleopatra narrowed her eyes, then smiling (fake smile, she's sometimes a bitch. Not really sometimes, let's say EVERY SINGLE OF HER LIFE SHE'S A BITCH! XD), "Cut with the 'Madame', only my employees are allowed to call me that. You can as well call me Mrs. DiCarpio, it is, however, odd for a Ootori call me 'Madame'."

Kyouya bowed again, "Understood."

Cleopatra softly scoffed, "Well, well, Yoshio. You have a fine young man, it reminds me of_ someone_ before."

"Yes, indeed. _Memories_, as Babara Streisand says..."

On cue, The door opened, revealing a young woman with brown hair, wearing an Embellished Lace Short Cocktail Dress. It was custom-made by Atria.

Cleopatra looked over her shoulder, her eyes dancing with fire, her lips forming an evil smile, "Ootori's, let me introduce my granddaughter, Marie Clarrise DeCaprio."

Yoshio looked at her ex-fiance's daughter. Beautiful. Just like her mother, he thought.

Meanwhile, his son, Kyouya, shocked and flabbergasted (though he didn't show it because it will ruin his 'manly' composure.) at the girl standing beside the 'Queen'.

_Clara?_


	6. Bridge

_Bridge_

_The One That Got Away_

"So what is that you want to talk about, Yoshio?" Cleopatra asked, wiping her mouth with a napkin.

Yoshio placed his fork down and spared a glance to his son, "I want to discuss about the unfinished business you and father had."

Cleopatra cocked a slender brow, and looking at her side where Clarrise sat, then going back to her plate, "What about it?" she forked her meat which creating a little noise on her plate.

Yoshio coughed behind his napkin, then wiping his mouth, "It's about time that _we_ put an end to this feud of our companies, and as well to the both of us." he looked at Cleopatra with an intense gaze, "Arrange marriage, between Clarrise and Kyouya."

Clara started coughing, while Cleopatra only stared at the older Ootori with her intensifying glare.

Kyouya handed a glass of water to Clara, "Here."

Clara grabbed the glass from Kyouya, "T-thank you."

While she drinks her water, Kyouya smiled warmly at her. Cleopatra, however, stood up, her narrowed eyes not leaving the older Ootori's gaze. She then grabbed her purse and yanked her grand daughter's arm.

"So you think your plan will work, huh Ootori?" she growled, emphasizing Yoshio's surname, "What happened before was done. And in fact, we can't change what happened in the past. I cannot risk my grand-daughter for this, my daughter had suffered enough. I won't let history repeats itself. Not anymore."

With that, Cleopatra and Clarrise left the two confused Ootori's. Kyouya looked at his father, it was odd for him to witness his father speechless. Yoshio would retort back to the person who raise their voice upon the older Ootori, however, at todays show. He was just staring.

Yoshio held his chin up like he always does, "Let's go home Kyouya."

Kyouya, with so many thoughts running in his mind, only nodded and followed his father towards the exit.

* * *

On their way to the hotel they have checked in, Clara noticed that her grandmother's still gripping her arm like there's no tomorrow. She laid a hand on top of Cleopatra's gripping hand. She gasped at the warm contact on her hand, the Madame sighed and slowly letting go her grand-daughter's arm.

"I'm sorry," her grand-mother muttered, shifting her gaze at the window.

Clara nodded at her grandmother, "Grandma?"

"Hm?"

"What do you mean by 'History repeats itself'?"

* * *

So I finally made it to the bridge. Thank you for those who reviewed last time and faved and followed. I'll see y'all next time.

Peace out.


End file.
